[TrendTalk] Dear Santa, I want...

Image: Fast Company

Christmas decorations have been up in the shops for two months already and Boney M is on a loop at the mall, so it's time to think about Christmas shopping *groan*. But have no fear, Biz is here, with some well-timed present propositions...

Our top recommendation for our Christmas Gift catalogue is a product which arguably had the 'best advertising campaign for hardest product to market' this year: the Squatty Potty with its rainbow-pooping unicorn. I sh*t you not. The ad tackles a product that is not an easy sell, with humour, innuendo, rainbows and glitter. It also racked up 31 million views on Facebook and 4 million on YouTube when it was released in October. Not crap.

Which advertising agency could have imagined one day that it would be branding an exclusive marijuana brand, for a celebrity no less. They are more likely to have been smoking it. But in the United States where weed has now been legalised in certain states, Pentagram has rolled up to design Snoop Dogg's 'Leafs' range of cannabis-based products (not for sale in South Africa of course, where dagga is still criminalised).

But in certain parts of the States, you can now get high with Snoop Doggy Dog aka Snoop Lion, with his custom range of buds, edibles and concentrates. Pentagram's Emily Oberman was brought in to design the new crop of products, reports Fast Company, with the brief to move away from the 'hippy, hempy' look.

The legal marijuana industry is one of the fastest growing in the US ($2.5bn) and predicted to be a $11bn industry by 2019. Pentagram is using design as leverage to create a classy brand with its "California cool" and lines such as 'Wake n Bake', 'Ooooweeee and 'Smoke weed every day!'.

Someone is going to have a merry Christmas - Oberman reportedly also had to sample the products with Snoop Dog to ensure they delivered on their smoking hot image. Who said advertising was a tough job?

Image: Mansoon

Forget the ubiquitous pair of socks for dad, Lego have come up with a slipper range for the home. "Lego slippers?" I hear you ask, dear reader, with some scepticism. My answer: it's about time! For anyone who is a parent will know that there is nothing more painful than stepping on a sneaky piece of Lego with your bare feet. The pain is akin to that of childbirth or waxing your back, it has been said.

Lego is a sneaky toy because once it has been 'unboxed', it never all fits back in the box. There's always one or two pieces that lurk in dark corners, waiting for an unsuspecting bare foot. But as AdFreak reports, Lego has come up with padded, Lego-branded (of course) slippers in their trademark yellow and red, in a limited run for this Christmas.

Image: ThinkGeek

Selfie sticks have risen in popularity, but what about the more discreet 'selfie arm'? For those that aren't blatant narcissists, this might be a more stealth-like, albeit weird, way to take selfies. Japanese comedy site Omocoro has lent a hand, coming up with schematics for a 'selfie arm' extender to try hide your selfie obsession, reports New York magazine.

Then, for the geek in your life, ThinkGeek has come up with a unisex Star Wars-themed exclusive charm bead DIY bracelet set for fans to put together, featuring a dangling charm bundle with Darth Vader, R2D2 and a Stormtrooper in stainless steel or sterling silver, to fit any charm bracelet or leather bangle.

May the force be with you this holiday season!